What Is In My Hospital Bag?

Every expecting person hears about the hospital bag and making sure it’s packed in advance. There are so many blog posts and videos out there about this necessity, and I definitely took a few days to thoroughly go through plenty of opinion pieces on what is necessary to add and what could be left at home. I decided to share my take on it today since I’ll be heading to the hospital before we know it! [Edit: I had this written out before going to the hospital, but all is said and done by the time I’m hitting publish! Good intentions…]

The first time giving birth to Baby Z, I probably opened my hospital bag twice the whole time I was there. I had expected to be there for much more of labor and planned to stay two nights, however, I ended up laboring at home and was discharged after 36 hours (per my request and after being approved to leave!). I missed my bed and cat and wanted my own shower - I am unashamedly a total homebody. 

Some things I used

• Phone charger (I definitely recommend one with an extra-long cable! - Grab one from Amazon here)

• AirPods 

• Lip Chap

• Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Face toiletries

• Water bottle (I highly recommend one with a straw for easy access! - This one from Amazon is nice)

• Extra change of clothes to go home in (think loose and comfy!)

• A self-heating sleep mask - it felt like a total luxury and filtered out some of the light that was in the room. Definitely repeating this item. (This is a similar one to the one I got)

• Snacks! And coconut water!

• Going home outfit for baby. A must.

Some things I didn’t use

• Breast pump (I’ll be taking a Haakaa (best purchase ever!) with me this time around, though, just in case)

• My pajamas! I honestly didn’t mind the hospital gown much and could barely move anyway, so the thought of putting on my own PJs was dismissed.

• Socks/Slippers - the hospital provided those. I’ll be bringing some shower shoes this time - and speaking of shower…

• Shampoo/Conditioner/Body wash - Call me gross, but due to my circumstances, I waited for the second I got home to shower in my own shower. If we had stayed an extra night, I would have showered at the hospital though!

• Nursing bra - It didn’t even occur to me to wear one until later - even though I had one with me! Will definitely be utilizing it this time around!

• Any of my laboring things like a diffuser or a birthing ball (I did it all at home). This time, I will be laboring in the hospital, and they provide a ball so I won’t be bringing it.

Some things I wish I had and will be adding 

• A fan - I felt HOT all day and mostly at night due to all the extra hormones! Seriously gross. A fan would have been great. I bought this one to attach to the stroller in the summer (like this), and I bet one could attach it to a hospital bed, too, so I’m bringing it.

• A white noise machine - the nurses in and out all night was a drag. I’ll try adding some white noise to the mix this time around (I love this one from Amazon).

• My kindle - I had so much downtime and a book or kindle would have been really nice to have with me. Definitely bringing my loaded Kindle with me this time (or maybe my iPad with Kindle app)!

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Mamas: What things did you have in your hospital bag that were useful - or not? Let me know in the comments!

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Seven Things That Are Different for Me In Pregnancy Number Two

I can’t believe I finally get to sit down and reflect on life and how unexpected and crazy it has been. Finding out I was pregnant, less than a year after having our first, was a shock, and now going through pregnancy a second time in a second consecutive year has been quite the experience. It has taken some time to wrap my head around the fact that we will be parents of two under one and a half in just a few weeks. Here are some things that have been different during pregnancy for me this time.

Less Anxiety About Giving Birth

This is a definite positive. Even though I know that every single pregnancy and birth can be drastically different, even for the same person, I have less anxiety surrounding all things labor and delivery. I welcome it because it will mean I’m not pregnant anymore. I think I’m ready never to be pregnant again, but I’ve been told: “never to say never.” 

I Forgot I Was Pregnant At Times

Especially in the beginning, days would go by before I remembered I was pregnant. Taking care of a baby takes up a lot of mental space, and since it’s something I’ve experienced before, I haven’t been obsessively checking apps and seeing what size the baby is now or what could be developing now. Now that I’m in my third trimester, constant kicking is a reminder that another life is growing inside of me - not to mention not being able to fit through tight spaces and the aches and pains.

I’m More Tired

Hauling a heavy baby up and down stairs for naps and diaper changes, plus all the other wrestling I’ve had to do with Baby #1, has more than likely contributed to my fatigue. I was napping more during naptime during the first trimester, but I’m just feeling down and tired - especially now that the third trimester is in full swing.

I Feel More Emotional

My emotions have been all over the place since the beginning. Hormones are strange, and I’ve felt much more emotional since this pregnancy started. They can range from happy to sad to angry, and it’s been a rollercoaster. My poor husband is a saint, truly. 

I’m Less Motivated to Exercise

I still walk most days and try to fit in Pilates or the treadmill when I can, but the motivation to exercise is low. Probably because I’m constantly hauling around a large weight that is our now toddler! The only thing that helps me stay semi-motivated is that I want to be ready for labor and delivery!

I Have Fewer Photos

J insisted on taking a weekly photo when I was pregnant the first time; however, I believe it was not until the third trimester that we took that first pregnancy photo of me. However, we did a maternity photoshoot again to remember the time by. Honestly, I wouldn’t have done anything with the weekly photos had we done them again. But there are hardly any photos of me where I’m visibly pregnant this second time. There are a few weeks left, so perhaps we will still get some in. 

I Have Moments of Excitement About Being a Family of Four

As crazy a thought as it is having two under two and being a family of four, I am looking forward to the amazing moments I know we will have. It will be a chaotic, exhausting, and messy season of life, I’m sure, but I am also certain that there will be happy times too! I’m curious to see what the transition from one to two will look like. 

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How different were your subsequent pregnancies? Would love to hear about them below!

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My Favorite Pregnancy Products

I know I kind of shocked everyone waiting till about ready to give birth before saying anything on the blog. To be honest, I couldn’t believe it for the longest time, and on top of that, I was recovering from some very stressful things in my life. The thought of shouting this announcement from the mountaintops did not excite me, in fact, it did the opposite. My sweet husband was gracious enough to allow me that privacy for a long time before we let it out on social media. 

All that being said, I really was pregnant the whole time! Today I just want to share some of the things that made [honestly, an easy] pregnancy even easier. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Morning Sickness Lozenges 

These lozenges (affiliate link) really helped me out during my first trimester. I didn’t have just morning sickness. I had all-day sickness and it was horrid. What made it worse was teaching all day with a mask on. I was miserable. These lozenges helped a sister out. 

Boppy Wedge Pillow

This thing was seriously a lifesaver. Sleeping was getting so difficult, and in the summer it was way too hot for me to imagine buying one of those giant pregnancy, or body, pillows. The main reason I opted for this, however, was because we traveled for six weeks over the summer and I needed something small, portable, and still effective. Well, let me tell you: this was worth every penny. And it didn’t even cost that many pennies. I found it on sale, bought it out of desperation for $11 and I’ve loved it since (grab yours on Amazon here). 

Maternity Leggings

Since I wear mostly high-waisted pants, I grew out of them pretty quickly. Maternity leggings were the best. I got a pair from Fabletics (here’s $40 off for you!) for walks and Pilates, and a few pairs from Target for in-between. I seriously lived in them. Still do. (This pair from Amazon are comfy too) I preferred the over-the-belly ones because I found that the ones that sit under the belly irritated my skin after a while.

Wireless Bra

Turns out your belly isn’t the only thing that grows when pregnant. During pregnancy, the body is going through so much change, inside and out, and comfort was really necessary for me. I struggled with the mental and physical aspects of all these changes. Anyway, this wireless bra (grab one from Amazon!) was sooo comfortable that I bought a few. And for a few bucks, it was totally worth it. Of course, if you want to save pennies (which I always do), grab this nursing version so you can use them comfortably postpartum too. Of course, things may change again, so it’s up to you.

The Bump App

This app was great. I used a few, but this was my favorite for easy-to-read articles, checklists, and other tools for pregnancy. Tracking the size and having an idea of what I should be doing was great. Maybe I’ll write a separate post about alllllll of the apps and websites I ended up using since there really were quite a few I would check every day. 

Babylist

Babylist was so helpful. We did not expect to have a baby shower, so I was really just using Babylist to help me stay organized and on top of making sure we had the basics that we needed. It was really helpful that we made a list when friends and family started asking for our registry, though!

Electric Heating Pad/Hot Water Bottle

This was especially helpful when the growing pains or back pains were unbearable. If you use this, of course, be careful and don’t put it directly on your skin! (get yourself one of these from Amazon)

Compression Socks

I thought this was the dumbest thing ever, but compression socks were perfect for me. The summer heat did not help the swelling situation, and compression socks provided relief. They were also fantastic when I was flying - they are perfect for the plane (get these cute ones on Amazon today!) Of course, for swelling, staying hydrated also helped!

Belly Butter

I guess theoretically I knew that my belly skin would stretch, but had no idea practically what that would look like or feel like. It was the strangest to me as I expanded that my belly button no longer existed. Anyway, all the stretching can be physically uncomfortable (think, itchy!). This belly butter really helped with any itchiness and aided with keeping my belly hydrated. That, and a loooot of water. It’s amazing how much more water I had to drink! I’m not saying that this was a miracle butter that prevented me from getting stretch marks, but I was grateful for the relief it provided.  

Bio-Oil

I’ve loved bio oil for years (get yours here), so it was natural that I would use it during pregnancy (and postpartum) as well. I used this when I wanted something a little lighter feeling than the body butter. 

Journal

You may already know that I have kept a journal for almost two decades now, and pregnancy was no exception. It was good to get my feelings out on the page, and I know I will enjoy looking back on the memories!

1) Morning Sickness Sweets 2) Wedge Pillow 3) Wireless Bra 4) Belly Butter 5) Bio-Oil 6) Compression Socks

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Any mama friends out there have any favorite pregnancy products? Let me know in the comments!

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I’m PREGNANT?!

I will just come right out and say it: we are going to be [human] parents! It’s kind of crazy to think about, and life has been mad crazy the last few months with preparations and figuring out this next season of life. Another reason I’ve been so silent around these here parts. And no, I didn’t mean for me to be 2 weeks away from the due date before sharing. Things have just been nuts.

A first picture from this Summer in Corsica at twenty-something weeks!

Experiencing pregnancy in the midst of a global pandemic has been interesting and strange added to the dynamic of not living near family. Nevertheless, we are grateful and anxious, and seriously just all the feels about what comes next. 

I’ll be sharing some more about how things are going/went. The baby gear has been rolling in, and final preparations are being made to welcome our new little bundle, and everything is still very much unbelievable, but we are happy nonetheless.